Guest Author - Kim DeLeary

Ghosts seem to favor theatres and opera houses as a place to hang around. Theatre ghosts interact with patrons and can seem to act as a good or bad omen for the theatre's current production. Different types of paranormal phenomena are reported when theatre ghosts are present.

The Drury Lane Theatre is the second oldest in London, England. This building, built in 1663, was a favorite of King Charles II who gave the theatre a Royal Charter. An apparition of King Charles II has been seen with his retinue backstage. There is also the ghost of a man who wears eighteenth clothing including a tricorn, powdered wig and long grey coat. He also carries a sword. This ghost will shush noisy patrons. He walks around and disappears into walls. It is considered a lucky omen for the production to spot the man in grey. A third ghost is of Joe Grimaldi, a comic and singer. This ghost will guide female actors around the theatre and will pat them for a good performance. During renovations, a corpse was found walled in with a knife in its ribcage.

In Decatur, Illinois, there is a theatre named the Avon Theater. This building was built in 1916 by James Allman. Eventually the Constanopoulos family became the new owners in 1927. Of the family members, Gus Constanopoulos was the most involved with the theatre. It is believed that his spirit continues to watch over the place. It is thought that renovations in 1995 stirred up other spirits and paranormal activity such as laughter, applause, voices and footsteps. It is believed that a ticket taker was one of the ghosts activated. A shadow apparition was also seen by a group of tourists. People also report ghostly touches, feelings of being watched and unexplainable lights.

The Port Elizabeth Opera House is located in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. This theatre was built in 1892 at the same location of a gallows. The ghost of a worker who died after a fall in the theatre sometimes is seen after opening night parties. It is considered a bad omen for the production if he is seen. Another ghost seen at the theatre is that of a former patron of the opera house. This fellow left his seat to go after his wife's forgotten purse, which had been left in the car. Hurrying back to avoid missing too much of the already started play, he died in his seat after giving his wife her purse. His ghost is seen in the Upstairs Bar.

The ghosts seem to be as much interested in entertainment and the theatre as they were in life. Going to a theatre, particularly older theatres, gives the potential of experiencing more than just a performance from the living. You could end up seeing ghostly owners, patrons and workers from the theatre's past.

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